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CSA Insider Scoop: CSA staff are very poorly trained

January 11, 2011

I very recently worked for a CSA outsourcing company in the NW, under the ‘non finance team. My role was to view the information gathered, and assess that information and calculate how much. We had 4 weeks training, in which we spent the entire time doing practice calculations using a calculator. However when we started the role proper, we realised that this training was utterly irrelevant, as there are computer programs that do the calculations for you. Our entire role was to wade through massive files of notes, looking for changes in NRP’s circumstances and completing lengthy forms… our training did not cover this at all! The managers merely tell you to ‘ask an experienced member of staff’ for help, therefore we have to learn on our feet with REAL cases… obviously making huge mistakes as we go.

Our work is checked by a ‘quality team’ but this process takes about a week for our work to be sent to them, checked and returned (including the changes required because for the first 6 weeks we are making lots of mistakes). We have to create outgoing letters and complete forms which we have never seen before. One of my letters was returned by the quality checking team because I had a fullstop in the wrong place…. this added a week to the completion time of the case. Such silly bureacy means the QC’s had to wait another week, because the CSA make the calculation team type out letters.

Often the information gathering team are so poorly trained that the information they have collected for the calculation team isn’t relevant, thus it has to be sent back. Which adds another 6 weeks minimum to the case time. Training and support for staff is very poor, and as a result alot fo staff don’t know what they are doing.

Another fallback of this is that staff just rush through the cases, because they are so stressed and bullied into meeting targets.

The computer systems are very slow, and often we have to spend our calculation time updating old details…even though that isn’t the calculation teams role. In a sentence, people are so poorly trained that people like me who do the final calculations are provided with incorrect and missing information by poorly trained staff, which is why it can take SO long before maintainence is paid.

A streamlining of the service is needed, with specific teams of people completing specific roles…not a jack of all trades, master of none menthod as now being done.

Written by Simon Frasier · Filed Under CSA News 

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Comments

  • graeme says:
    January 11, 2011 at 12:49 pm

    Hi Simon

    That is nothing new. Everybody who is unfortunate enough to deal with this shambolic, corrupt, scandolous bunch of cash sucking assholes know how inept, this agency really is. However it is always good to hear insider info on the morons.

    Regards and best wishes

    Graeme

  • John says:
    January 11, 2011 at 3:04 pm

    Nothing we don’t all ready know. A COMPLETE and UTTER, SHAMBLES! Shut this debacle down!

  • KMcQ79 says:
    January 12, 2011 at 11:18 am

    This explains and confirms what may NRP (manly fathers) suspect.
    I hope you go to the media with your story.
    Know any other staff who want to talk?

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